Trailer coupling



ay 31, 1949. T. HOTCHKISS, SR 2,471,689

TRAILER COUPLING Filed Sept. 27, 1946 INVENTORI THOM s HOTCHKISS,$r

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 31 1 949 4;; TRAILER COUPLING 7' ThomasHotchkiss,"Sr.,jSt. Louis, Mo.

Application September 21,: '1946,'Serial No. 699,836

7 .LLBfClaii'n'S. (01; 280-3315) 1 u 2 This inventionrelates towcouplings forz-conhas'an enlargement thereonwhoseupper/surface necting a trailer to atowing vehicle and in its is adapted to bearagainst the lower side ofmem- -more specific aspects -is=---directed :to a coupling barb, said enlargement I8 being in the form of a A whos parts will readily align and be free: from fiat-sided: block adapted to be received between binding even thoughthere is -some-displ-acement 5,-c-members H, H"; An-aperture I1 is drilled in in a vertical plane rbetweenthe axles of the the-en1a-rgement l8 whose longitudinal. axis is trailer and the towing; vehicle wheels. displaced from thglongitudinal axis Of'aCYlill- The object of this invention is toirprovide a drical elements l4 and-l and is to beraligned coupling to connect'a trailer and'a-towingpvehicle with the apertures in elements l-f'and llk A and in which the;-pin-:conne ct-ing the separable 1011331318 it provided with a taperedqsurface 1-9 is parts may be. readily; removed :and inserted even disposed below the enlargement:- 18; A'- suitable though there ;may be some-displacement in a spacer iil'may be-placed between table l9 and vertical plane of the 'trailer' with respect toqthe r member 6 although the thickness ofthisrspacer towing vehiclexand:whichstillrenables one-part may be added to the enlargement I 89: Pin l3, of the coupling toehave a 'considerableadegree of because of enlargement --l8,'-does not have vertical universalmotiomrelative: to the: other part. 1 movement and rotates in only one plane. In the drawings Figure-lzshows an'elevational :Referring now to the operation of the coupling View of a towingvehicle: and :trailer-incorporatand assuming trailer 3 to be uncoupled, the towing theinvention; ---ing vehicle I is backed up to the trailer whose Figure 2 shows axplanview ofl'the coupling; tongue H is now elevated toapproximately align Figure -3 shows-aside-elevational-view of the 1 it'with the spaced members 5 and 6; The coucoupling; --pling members are brought into engagement'with Figure 4- shows a 'sectionaln'viewitakemnalong H each other by having enlargement i8 disposed the line 44 of Figure 2; between elements H and I1". To facilitate the Figure 5 shows-a sectional v-iew'takenaalong 'the coupling action, members 5-and '6 are curved as line 5:5 of Figure 3; ;-shown at 2i and 22. Theangular surfaces 23 Figure 6 shows ar-zs'ide"elevationalc-view ofcthe and 26 on elements II and ll 'sel'ectively encoupling pin} and gage surfaces 2| or 22 to finally align theenlarge- Figure. '7 shows an-end elevationatwiew :oti'the ment I 8 with elements II and II"- to present coupling'pin; 30 enlargement l8 therebetween. As this action 7 Referring now to theifdrawi'ngs,:rlnunreral l :takes place the surface 24 on'elements H and designates ':a towing -':v'ehic1e-::having: awconven w H cause the latter to ride up on thesurface --tionalbumper:2 secured theret'o' and'3 designates l9 SO t W p u e 1 is aligned WiththB a trailer vehicle connected totlretowingnvehicle 'apertures in elements II and H the latter by-means of th im gg --4 v rest on table IS; The surface 25 on'tenlargemnt The coupling 'llir'cohsist's of two vertically spaced l8 contacts the base of forked elements! 1" and horizontally disposed members 5 and 6 which "4therebyp1a0ing Said apertures'ifl nt are secured to bumper 2, the spacing being proafter which pin 26 is inserted and also preventing videdbya. pair of suitablyapertured members 1 binding of pin 26 except when the trailer-i's'being and 8, members 5 and 6 having.;threaded tangs' y the towing Vehicle. 5, 6' which extend through said apertures and 'p 25 may be y" removed d t buinp'e'r z -d p g d btwen m b r 1 and apertures-whether or not the trailer 3 and tow- 8. Y Nuts 9 and in are provided on thevt-an-gs to ins-vehicle l are standing inthe same b n The securely lock the several members 5,-" 6'; ,i

9 nd a elements H and I!" rest upon tablel9 to main- ""to bumper 2. tain the pin aperture alignment aided by the T t 3 is pr Vided; -:with a tongue 3 t "surface 25 contacting the root of the fork on which coupl jng membe1fl 1| i secured, This member and also because surfaces 23 and 24 member is divided or forked'at its free end into limit the rotational motion of member H about twoelements H and l lu" '.-;eajch of whichi "shaped p n 26 in a Ve l plane. The dottedline s in as illustratedlin,Figurer3.;=tocprovide a; t'ortv ardly E gures 2 and 5 show that member ll can -and extending eccentric portion l2. wedoes" move in twflidifferent131311855 5Th clfilllar A pin I3 is rotatably supported in members 5 p r n of elements I! and If" not only r and S on a vertical axis and has cylindrical elen tab e 9 but also bear on the lower surface ments M and I5 thereon which are received in Of member 5 t Prevent Vertical movement suitable apertures in members 5 and 6. The pin thereof and binding 0 p It is there- 3 fore, that member I I will always be capable of universal movement relative to elements 5 and 5; that there will be no binding on pin 25; and that the coupling parts will always be properly aligned before the parts are brought into engagement.

Having fully described my invention, that which I claim as novel and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A trailer coupling comprising a pair of horizontally disposed and vertically spaced members securable toa towing vehicle; a member securable to a trailer; a pin supported in said members and rotatable on a vertical axis; a table formed on said pin; forked means on said member adapted to rest on said table and operatively associated with said pin; and a second pin extending through said first mentioned pin and said means, said second pin freely movable when the vehicle is at rest.

2. A trailer coupling comprising a pair of spaced members securable to a towing vehicle; a member provided with a forked end and securable to a trailer; a pin having a table thereon rotatably supported in said spaced members and having a portion receivable between the forks of said forked member, said forks resting on said table when they are in operative association with said portion; and a second pin extending through said portion and said forks, said second pin freely removable even though said trailer and towing 5;;

vehicle are not disposed in the same plane.

3. A trailer coupling comprising a pair of spaced members securable to a towing vehicle; a pin rotatably supported in said members on a vertical axis and having a table and an enlarge- 15::

ment formed thereon; a member securable to a trailer and having a forked end thereon between which said enlargement is received, said forks being so constructed that substantially diametrically opposite portions thereof engage said table and one of said members, said forks on said member and said pin preventing tipping of said member relative to said spaced members; and a coupling pin to maintain said member and said pin operatively engaged.

4. A trailer comprising a pair of spaced members securable to a towing vehicle; a pin rotatably supported in said members on a vertical axis; a table and an enlargement on said pin; and a member having a forked end and securable to a trailer, said forked end resting on said table and embracing said enlargement to prevent said member tipping with respect to said spaced members.

5. A trailer comprising a pair of spaced members securable to a towing vehicle; a pin rotatably supported in said members on a vertical axis; a table and an enlargement on said pin; and a member having one end forked and securable to a trailer, the forked end of said member constructed so that it bears on one of said spaced members and on said table, said enlargement received in said forked end, said enlargement, said table and said forked end enabling said member to swing even though the trailer and the towing vehicle do not stand in the same plane.

6. A trailer coupling comprising a pair of horizontally disposed and vertically spaced members securable to a towing vehicle; a member securable to a trailer; a pin rotatably supported in said members on a vertical axis; a table on said pin; and spaced means on said second member 4 adapted to rest on said table to enable said member to thereby freely swing with respect to said spaced members.

'7. A trailer coupling comprising a pair of horizontally disposed and vertically spaced members securable to a towing vehicle, one of the members having a curved forward edge; a member provided with a forked end and securable to a trailer; 8. pin having a table thereon provided with a curved edge complemental to the curved edge on said member and rotatably supported in said spaced members on a vertical axis, said pin having a portion receivable between the forks of said forked member, said forked end riding up said curved surfaces and resting on said table when the coupling members are operatively associated with said portion; and second pin extending through said forked end and said portion, and freely removable when said trailer and towing vehicle are not standing on the same plane.

8. A trailer coupling comprising a pair of horizontally disposed and vertically spaced members securable to a towing vehicle, one of the members having a curved forward edge; a pin rotatably supported in said members on a vertical axis and provided with a table having a curved for Ward edge complemental to the curved edge on said member, said pin having an enlargement thereon; a member securable to a trailer and having a forked end between which said enlargement is received after said forked end rides up said curved surfaces to rest on said table, one side of said forked end engaging the other of said horizontal members, said forked end on said member and said enlargement preventing tipping of the forked member relative to said spaced members; and a coupling pin insertable in said forked end and in said enlargement when operatively engaged and freely removable when the towing vehicle and trailer are at rest.

9. A trailer coupling comprising a pair of horizontally disposed and vertically spaced members securable to a towing vehicle, one of said members having a curved forward edge; a pin provided with a table having a curved forward edge complemental to the curved edge on said mem ber and rotatably supported in said members on a vertical axis; an enlargement on said pin; a member securable to a trailer and provided with a forked end in which said enlargement is received after said forked end rides up said curved surfaces and onto said table; and a second pin extending through said forked end and said enlargement and freely movable therein while said towing vehicle and said trailer are at rest.

THOMAS HOTCHKISS, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,229,465 Hudson June 12, 1917 1,730,077 Isachsen Oct. 1, 1929 2,027,499 Tully Jan. 14, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 219,086 Great Britain July 18, 1924 

